Acquisition of Snyder positions HRC for the future.

David Hirschman, president of Hirschman Realty Companies (HRC), has announced the acquisition of C.B. Snyder Realty. Based in Paramus, NJ, HRC is an integrated group of real estate companies including David Hirschman Realty Co., a 19-year-old firm that specializes in commercial real estate, and Hirschman Realty Services Inc., a property management and construction company.

C.B. Snyder will remain a separate company operating within HRC. Walter Stevens, who has owned Snyder since 1980, will serve as executive vice president. "C.B. Snyder is a highly respected industrial real estate company with a 70-year history of real estate service to northern New Jersey business," Hirschman said. "With the addition of this firm, we have become a major mid-sized company with resources for both commercial and industrial activity."

Hirschman: Consistent Force Among New Jersey Realtors

David Hirschman began his career in the mid-1960s as an industrial real estate agent. He switched his focus to office leasing and sales in the early 1970s and started his own brokerage firm, David Hirschman Realty Co. Inc.

"There were only a few speculative office buildings at that time, but I knew that was where the market was heading," he said. The company quickly grew, representing prominent area owners and corporations.

In the late 1970s, Hirschman developed and purchased corporate properties in northern New Jersey, ranging from 20,000 to 150,000 square feet. He served as exclusive broker for the 600,000-square-foot, two-building Fort Lee Executive Park from 1978 to 1993. Each building was fully leased one year after completion. Later, between 1991 and 1993, Hirschman was responsible for approximately 400,000 square feet in new leases, renewals and expansions, valued at more than $20 million.

During the past year, David Hirschman Realty Co. negotiated more than $18 million worth of real estate transactions in northern New Jersey. Against the backdrop of large area vacancies and a difficult economy, he successfully maintained the occupancy level at 95 percent in the 85,000 square-foot OFFICESCAPE building in Mahwah. Additionally, Hirschman consummated leases for more than 40,000 square feet to bring 400 Sylvan Avenue in Englewood Cliffs to 98 percent occupancy.

Hirschman Realty Services Inc. has been instrumental in this success. In both buildings, the full-service property management and construction firm served as construction manager for tenant and building improvements, delivering space quickly and economically.

"The combination of capabilities is a real advantage to owners and tenants," Hirschman noted. "It ensures consistent, top-quality service from initial negotiations and throughout a tenant's occupancy." The property management firm currently manages approximately 500,000 square feet of commercial real estate.

A graduate of New York University and Brooklyn Law School, Hirschman is a member of the New York Bar. He is former chairman of the board and past president of the YM/YWHA of Bergen County, where he was instrumental in the approval and ultimate development of the Y's Washington Township facilities.

C.B. Snyder: A Rich History

Founded by Clinton B. Snyder in 1924, C.B. Snyder has been a significant force in the commercial real estate industry. During the 1960s, it was one of four key firms in New Jersey. Walter Stevens joined the organization in 1971 following a corporate career with Bendix, and acquired the company when Snyder retired in 1980.

Snyder's focus is industrial real estate throughout northern New Jersey, with transactions in excess of $10 million last year. Among its hallmarks, C.B. Snyder was instrumental in assembling the 50-acre parcel on which Allendale Corporate Park was developed.

Positioned for the Future

Hirschman and Stevens predict an improved real estate market during the next five years. The two have known each other since 1971. "We worked together, respected each other and both survived the 80s," Hirschman said, adding that their new association will help achieve operating economies while expanding their capabilities.

"There are many new and different opportunities in the marketplace, and more customers than in recent years," Stevens agreed. "We're a good fit, and our affiliation is a terrific way to assist owners, tenants, buyers, investors and financial institutions."